


this year to save me from tears

by rocket_rach



Series: DickBabs Week 2018 [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Christmas, DickBabs Week 2018, F/M, day one - firsts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-16 00:26:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16943553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rocket_rach/pseuds/rocket_rach
Summary: happy dickbabs week 2018!!! here's my day 1 submish, firsts





	this year to save me from tears

Dick placed the present by the tree. The apartment was currently quiet, now that Mary was actually asleep in her bed and not rampaging through the small apartment “hunting for santa”. Across their Christmas tree were photos of Babs and him from when they were first married, to small clay stars imprinted with Mary’s hands and feet. The Robin and Batgirl ornaments were hung near the top of the tree, next to Mary’s lumpy macaroni star that adorned the top. They had left the manor a few hours earlier, arms so stuffed with gifts from the family that Dick wasn’t sure how they were going to get it all home and then into their home. But they did, and this year the mountain of gifts didn’t dwarf the tree.

Before he settled onto the beaten down couch Babs and he had found at Goodwill, he stopped in the kitchen to fill a small glass with the newest vintage whiskey Bruce had gifted him.

He looked over at Barbara. His heart was so full. Just like it’s supposed to be on Christmas.

“I don’t even know why I try to compete with Bruce when it comes to gift giving. He always spends tens of thousands of dollars on us, and every year I get further in debt. When will I learn that he can’t be beat?” Dick sipped his glass. “I mean, to defend myself, if I didn’t learn that when I was 10, I doubt I’ll finally learn it at 30.”

The whiskey burned, the smoky flavors licking down his throat until it began to warm his stomach.

“You know what’s funny?” Dick asked, his eyes roving over her red locks. “Mary, yelling at Bruce for brooding on Christmas. Sometimes I wonder how much of me is actually in Mary. She’s a damn spitfire, even on Christmas.

Dick leaned over, picking the frame that held Barbara’s wedding headshot. “I miss you, Babs. This is hard, it’s really hard. Mary misses you so much. Alfred started setting a place for you. Nobody else was in the dining room… but I saw it. We kept your stocking up at the manor, too,” Dick takes another sip. It’s easier to face the pain when there’s liquid courage churning your gut. “I asked Mary what she wanted from Santa. She said a time machine and… well, you know why.”

“Dad?” A small voice murmured. Dick whipped around finding his daughter standing in the hallway, footie pajamas shuffling across the wood.

“Mary, you should be in bed,” he rose to his feet and crossed the room quickly. Dick scooped her up and tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. “Santa doesn’t deliver gifts to little sneaks who stay up late.”

“I couldn’t sleep,” Mary murmurs as they entered into her room. “Could I-I stay with you? I just—”

“I miss her too, kiddo,” Dick kissed her forehead. He turned on his heel, carrying his daughter to his room. Outside the apartment, a heavy snow began to fall, whiting out the neighborhood.

**Author's Note:**

> who said firsts had to :) to :) be :) happy :)
> 
> also i didnt proofread this at all


End file.
